I want a best friend.

You know, the kind that is always home when you show up at their house and ready to play.

Or always wants to play with you no matter what. And wants to sleep over. And thinks your idea of a lemonade stand is awesome. And phones the boy you like for you. And steals cucumbers from peoples gardens.

That is what I want.

My first best friend came in elementary school. A new family moved to town and J was the best thing that ever happened to me.

She was one year older, but was 2 grades ahead because she skipped a grade. But we were able to play after school and on weekends. I loved listening to her talk. She was full of information. J was so smart. She was perfect.

I have so many wonderful memories of her. I also loved her family. She was the oldest of 5. They were Mormon and that was friggn’n fascinating.

What do you mean no ice tea?

Or Halloween?

Or food on Sundays?

I was absolutely devastated when they moved away. I didn’t know that moving away was really an option. I never really “got” that a family could actually pack up and leave my town.

My next best friend was S.

I learned A LOT from S and her older sister. I had no idea what a period was until her sister got hers.  I was 10. No one had ever given me the talk.

When she moved away I was even more devastated.

I grew up in a town of 238 people (yes, I counted.)

I was slowly running out of friends.

Then there was my 15 to 21 best friend. T was the kind of best friend that you saw on t.v and in movies. Those are such formative years. Such BIG things happen.  First kiss, license, sex, first jobs, illegal substances, university, love.

And I was so lucky to spend most of those experiences with her.

Except the sex part. I didn’t share that.

I trusted her with everything. I truly loved her more than anything. She was always there.

But we had a falling out of epic proportions when I was 21. And only now 13 years later is the relationship starting to heal.

So what the hell was I talking about?

Oh right. I want a best friend just like the ones I had when I was a kid.